diff --git a/pkg/puller/puller.go b/pkg/puller/puller.go
index 0df7f44fc0a..9ccfdcdffae 100644
--- a/pkg/puller/puller.go
+++ b/pkg/puller/puller.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	logMore = true // enable this to get more logging
+	logMore = false // enable this to get more logging
 )
 
 type Options struct {
@@ -167,7 +167,12 @@ func (p *Puller) manage() {
 			}
 
 			for _, v := range peersToRecalc {
-				p.recalcPeer(ctx, v.addr, v.po, depth)
+				dontSync := p.recalcPeer(ctx, v.addr, v.po, depth)
+				// stopgap solution for peers that dont return the correct
+				// amount of cursors we expect
+				if dontSync {
+					peersDisconnected[v.addr.String()] = v
+				}
 			}
 
 			for _, v := range peersDisconnected {
@@ -186,13 +191,14 @@ func (p *Puller) disconnectPeer(ctx context.Context, peer swarm.Address, po uint
 	if logMore {
 		p.logger.Debugf("puller disconnect cleanup peer %s po %d", peer, po)
 	}
-	syncCtx := p.syncPeers[po][peer.String()] // disconnectPeer is called under lock, this is safe
-	syncCtx.gone()
-
+	if syncCtx, ok := p.syncPeers[po][peer.String()]; ok {
+		// disconnectPeer is called under lock, this is safe
+		syncCtx.gone()
+	}
 	delete(p.syncPeers[po], peer.String())
 }
 
-func (p *Puller) recalcPeer(ctx context.Context, peer swarm.Address, po, d uint8) {
+func (p *Puller) recalcPeer(ctx context.Context, peer swarm.Address, po, d uint8) (dontSync bool) {
 	if logMore {
 		p.logger.Debugf("puller recalculating peer %s po %d depth %d", peer, po, d)
 	}
@@ -205,6 +211,10 @@ func (p *Puller) recalcPeer(ctx context.Context, peer swarm.Address, po, d uint8
 	c := p.cursors[peer.String()]
 	p.cursorsMtx.Unlock()
 
+	if len(c) != int(p.bins) {
+		return true
+	}
+
 	var want, dontWant []uint8
 	if po >= d {
 		// within depth
@@ -233,6 +243,7 @@ func (p *Puller) recalcPeer(ctx context.Context, peer swarm.Address, po, d uint8
 	}
 
 	syncCtx.cancelBins(dontWant...)
+	return false
 }
 
 func (p *Puller) syncPeer(ctx context.Context, peer swarm.Address, po, d uint8) {
@@ -261,6 +272,13 @@ func (p *Puller) syncPeer(ctx context.Context, peer swarm.Address, po, d uint8)
 		c = cursors
 	}
 
+	// if length of returned cursors does not add up to
+	// what we expect it to be - dont do anything
+	if len(c) != int(p.bins) {
+		delete(p.syncPeers[po], peer.String())
+		return
+	}
+
 	for bin, cur := range c {
 		if bin == 0 || uint8(bin) < d {
 			continue
diff --git a/pkg/puller/puller_test.go b/pkg/puller/puller_test.go
index 65626afd943..e77c4cfd62d 100644
--- a/pkg/puller/puller_test.go
+++ b/pkg/puller/puller_test.go
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ package puller_test
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"math"
-	"os"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ func TestSyncFlow_PeerWithinDepth_Live(t *testing.T) {
 					), mockk.WithDepth(1),
 				},
 				pullSync: []mockps.Option{mockps.WithCursors(tc.cursors), mockps.WithLiveSyncReplies(tc.liveReplies...)},
-				bins:     5,
+				bins:     2,
 			})
 			t.Cleanup(func() {
 				pullsync.Close()
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ func TestSyncFlow_PeerWithinDepth_Historical(t *testing.T) {
 					), mockk.WithDepth(1),
 				},
 				pullSync: []mockps.Option{mockps.WithCursors(tc.cursors), mockps.WithAutoReply(), mockps.WithLiveSyncBlock()},
-				bins:     5,
+				bins:     2,
 			})
 			defer puller.Close()
 			defer pullsync.Close()
@@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ func newPuller(ops opts) (*puller.Puller, storage.StateStorer, *mockk.Mock, *moc
 	s := mock.NewStateStore()
 	ps := mockps.NewPullSync(ops.pullSync...)
 	kad := mockk.NewMockKademlia(ops.kad...)
-	logger := logging.New(os.Stdout, 5)
+	logger := logging.New(ioutil.Discard, 0)
 
 	o := puller.Options{
 		Bins: ops.bins,